March 28, 2023
HORNELL, NY – The Hornell Common Council passed their budget on Monday night. According to Mayor John Buckley and Deputy Mayor Jessica Cleveland, taxes are being raised 1.97%. Buckley says that will be 13.518 cents per assessed thousand dollars. Last year, it was 13.257 cents per thousand.
Mayor John Buckley:
“Municipalities are not immune from hyper-inflation which has dramatically impacted the cost of materials and supplies. This is evident in our water and sewer budgets, with the cost of process chemicals skyrocketing. Other departments have been adversely affected as well including Police, Fire and DPW regarding fuel costs and building materials. Additionally, there is no expected increase in state revenue to help offset these rising costs. Despite dealing with this inflationary climate, we have produced a fiscally sound budget that addresses the needs of City departments and continues to deliver the high level of services residents expect and rely on. I am proud of the hard work and dedication of our department heads, and the City Chamberlain, for being cognizant of the impact on taxpayers while building these budgets.” Buckley also noted that Hornell was recently named the most affordable place to live, in the state.
City Chamberlain Michele Smith, states: “I believe these are both responsible budgets that reflect the needs and priorities of our community. The water budget does not have an increase, while we have made significant investments in our water plant, including the recent completion of a $7 million project. The general fund does include an increase in property taxes, but it’s important to keep things in perspective. The increase works out to be .261 per $1,000 of assessed value, which means that for a $100,000 home, the increase will be $26.10 per year. For a $75,000 home, the increase will be $19.58.”
Melissa Ponticello, Chairwoman of the Finance Committee, added, “I am pleased to see the Council approve the proposed budgets for water and the general fund for the upcoming fiscal year. These budgets reflect a balanced approach to meeting the needs of our community while keeping costs in check. We have worked hard to ensure that the budgets are fiscally responsible and responsive to the needs of our residents, and I am confident that it will help the City of Hornell continue to thrive in the coming year.”
In other Hornell news, Mayor John Buckley says that both Jasper and Howard are asking about the possibility of Hornell providing ambulance services, and Hartsville signed the ems contract.
The new Union Park in Hornell ground breaking will be April 10, and the Hornell YMCA will be providing lifeguard work once again this coming summer at the city pool.
